Borough Market, London



September 14, 2013

I recently returned from a short trip to London. I lived there on a study abroad in college, many, many moons ago, and have felt a close connection to that city ever since. I like to go back when I can and have a running list of places to visit, surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) many of them are connected to food. At the top of my list for several years was Borough Market and this year I finally got to go.

A very short walk from the London Bridge tube stop, we entered at one edge of the market and I immediately felt like I was in heaven. We got to the market relatively early which allowed us to explore a little easier before the real crowds showed up.

Our first goal was to find Monmouth Coffee Company to have some caffeine fortification for the day. We discovered it was on the other side of the market from where we were and the challenge, for me, was to stay focused on the end goal. It was difficult not to get distracted by the stalls of baked goods, cheeses, charcuterie, and fresh produce. There were all sorts of tempting prepared foods too like savory pies, paella, fresh fruit juices, smoothies, even raclette.

A friend read that the line was long but it moved quickly – quite true and the coffee was worth the wait

One of my companions said, “I wish you could take a picture of a smell” so we could bring that back with us. The sad thing was I couldn’t buy all the things I really wanted because we were leaving the next day. The market proper is open Thursday – Saturday so I’ll need to plan accordingly next time I’m in the city. Maybe I can buy a few more things to eat over the course of my stay.

Another stop on the list of foodie places to visit, just one of the many fabulous cheesemongers at the market

I suspect the locals have the same love/hate relationship with the market that I do with the KCC Farmer’s Market in Hawaii – too many tourists that get in the way of real shopping. And yes, that’s true. I was snapping away pictures whenever I could, as you’ll see below, probably getting in people’s way. But I would still say that regardless of how long you’re there, the market is a must for any foodie visiting London.